Caerfyrddin (constituency)
UK Parliament constituency (1918–1997, 2024 onwards)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caerfyrddin (Welsh: [kaːɨrˈvərðɪn]), also known as Carmarthen (English: /kərˈmɑːrðən/ kər-MAR-dhən), is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament, first contested at the 2024 general election, following the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies. It is currently represented by Ann Davies of Plaid Cymru.
| Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen) | |
|---|---|
| County constituency for the House of Commons | |
  Interactive map of boundaries from 2024 | |
Boundary of Caerfyrddin in Wales | |
| Preserved county | Dyfed |
| Electorate | 72,683 (March 2020)[1] |
| Major settlements | Carmarthen, Ammanford, Llandeilo |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 2024 |
| Member of Parliament | Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru) |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire |
| 1918–1997 | |
| Seats | One |
| Type of constituency | County constituency |
| Created from | West Carmarthenshire, East Carmarthenshire and Carmarthen Boroughs |
| Replaced by | Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire |
In the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, the name is given as Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen).[2] Of the twenty-five Welsh constituencies with names in both English and Welsh, Caerfyrddin is the only one where the Welsh name comes first followed by the English name in brackets (in each of the other cases, the opposite is true). Caerfyrddin is the form used by the UK Parliament.[3]
A similar constituency existed between 1918 and 1997 under the name Carmarthen.
Boundaries
Under the 2023 review, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following wards of the County of Carmarthenshire, as they existed on 1 December 2020:[2]
- Abergwili; Ammanford; Betws; Carmarthen Town North; Carmarthen Town South; Carmarthen Town West; Cenarth; Cilycwm; Cynwyl Elfed; Cynwyl Gaeo; Garnant; Glanamman; Laugharne Township; Llanboidy; Llanddarog; Llandeilo; Llandovery; Llandybie; Llanegwad; Llanfihangel Aberbythych; Llanfihangel-ar-Arth; Llangadog; Llangeler; Llangunnor; Llansteffan; Llanybydder; Manordeilo and Salem; Penygroes; Pontamman; Quarter Bach; St. Clears; Saron; Trelech; and Whitland.
Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2022,[4] the constituency now comprises the following wards of the County of Carmarthenshire from the 2024 general election:[5]
- Abergwili; Ammanford; Betws; Carmarthen Town North and South; Carmarthen Town West; Cenarth and Llangeler; Cilycwm; Cwarter Bach; Cynwyl Elfed; Garnant; Glanamman; Laugharne Township; Llanboidy; Llanddarog; Llandeilo; Llandovery; Llandybie; Llanegwad; Llanfihangel Aberbythych; Llanfihangel-ar-Arth; Llangadog; Llangunnor; Llanybydder; Manordeilo and Salem; Penygroes; Saron; St. Clears and Llansteffan; Trelech; and Whitland.
History
The Parliamentary Borough of Carmarthen (made up of Carmarthen town and Llanelli) existed from 1542 to 1832 alongside the Parliamentary County of Carmarthenshire, each returning one member. Under the Great Reform Act of 1832, the Borough was expanded to include both Carmarthen town and Llanelli (known as the Carmarthen Boroughs), and the representation of the county was increased to two members. In 1885, Carmarthenshire was split into the two county constituencies of East Carmarthenshire and West Carmarthenshire with one member each.
In 1918, the borough constituency was abolished (as well as East and West Carmarthenshire), but the name Carmarthen was transferred to one of the divisions of the county of Carmarthenshire. The new constituency was made up of the whole of the county of Carmarthenshire except for the new Llanelli constituency (the urban area around Llanelli). Notable towns were Carmarthen itself, Ammanford and Llandeilo.
In 1997, the Boundary Commission for Wales recommended an extra seat for Dyfed.[6] This led to the seat being split two to one between Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire.[7]
The constituency was re-established as Caerfyrddin as part of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies and under the June 2023 final proposals of the Boundary Commission for Wales for the 2024 United Kingdom general election.[8]
Political history
Because the seat contained mining areas in the valley of the River Gwendraeth (until the 1980s), much countryside and a high proportion of Welsh speakers, it was fertile territory for the Labour Party, the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru alike. Although the Conservatives never won the seat, they came within 1200 votes of doing so in 1983.
Carmarthen is notable as the first constituency to elect a Plaid Cymru MP, Gwynfor Evans, at a 1966 by-election. Evans was later involved in one of the closest general election results ever in February 1974, when he lost to the Labour candidate by only three votes.[9][10] The constituency also shot to fame in the following election in October 1974 as the only seat in the country to see its turnout rise on that of February 1974.
Members of Parliament
1918–1997: county constituency
MPs since 2024
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire prior to 2024.
| Election | Member[12] | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ann Davies | Plaid Cymru | |
Elections
Elections in the 20th century
Elections in the 1910s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | National Liberal | John Hinds | Unopposed | ||
| Registered electors | |||||
| National Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. | |||||
Elections in the 1920s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Liberal | John Hinds | 12,530 | 41.9 | N/A | |
| Unionist | George Coventry | 8,805 | 29.4 | N/A | |
| National Farmers' Union | David Johns | 4,775 | 15.9 | N/A | |
| Liberal | Hubert Llewelyn-Williams | 3,847 | 12.8 | N/A | |
| Majority | 3,725 | 12.5 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 29,957 | 82.7 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 36,213 | ||||
| National Liberal hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Ellis Ellis-Griffith | 12,988 | 45.1 | +32.3 | |
| Unionist | Alfred Stephens | 8,677 | 30.1 | +0.7 | |
| Labour | Rowland Williams | 7,132 | 24.8 | N/A | |
| Majority | 4,311 | 15.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 28,797 | 78.3 | −4.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 36,779 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Alfred Mond | 12,760 | 44.0 | −1.1 | |
| Labour | Edward Teilo Owen | 8,351 | 28.8 | +4.0 | |
| Unionist | Alfred Stephens | 7,896 | 27.2 | −2.9 | |
| Majority | 4,409 | 15.2 | +0.2 | ||
| Turnout | 29,007 | 78.9 | +0.6 | ||
| Registered electors | 36,779 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | −2.6 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Alfred Mond | 17,281 | 68.5 | +23.4 | |
| Labour | Edward Teilo Owen | 7,953 | 31.5 | +6.7 | |
| Majority | 9,328 | 37.0 | +22.0 | ||
| Turnout | 25,234 | 67.9 | −10.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 37,155 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | +8.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | William Nathaniel Jones | 10,201 | 35.5 | −33.0 | |
| Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 10,154 | 35.4 | +3.9 | |
| Unionist | Courtenay Mansel | 8,361 | 29.1 | N/A | |
| Majority | 47 | 0.1 | −36.9 | ||
| Turnout | 28,716 | 76.6 | +8.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 37,482 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | −18.5 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 15,130 | 38.2 | +6.7 | |
| Liberal | William Nathaniel Jones | 14,477 | 36.6 | −31.9 | |
| Unionist | John Coventry | 9,961 | 25.2 | N/A | |
| Majority | 653 | 1.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 39,568 | 85.8 | +17.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 46,110 | ||||
| Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | +19.3 | |||
Elections in the 1930s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Richard Evans | 15,532 | 39.5 | +2.9 | |
| Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 14,318 | 36.5 | −1.7 | |
| Conservative | Delme William Campbell Davies-Evans | 9,434 | 24.0 | −1.2 | |
| Majority | 1,214 | 3.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 39,284 | 84.5 | −1.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 46,507 | ||||
| Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 18,146 | 47.5 | +11.0 | |
| Liberal | Richard Evans | 12,911 | 33.8 | −5.7 | |
| Conservative | Edward Kellett | 7,177 | 18.8 | −5.2 | |
| Majority | 5,235 | 13.7 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 38,234 | 79.3 | −5.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 48,217 | ||||
| Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1940s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Moelwyn Hughes | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | |||||
| Labour hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 19,783 | 51.7 | +17.9 | |
| Labour | Moelwyn Hughes | 18,504 | 48.3 | +0.8 | |
| Majority | 1,279 | 3.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 38,286 | 76.1 | −3.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 50,462 | ||||
| Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1950s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 24,472 | 50.2 | −1.5 | |
| Labour | Lynn Ungoed-Thomas | 24,285 | 49.8 | +1.5 | |
| Majority | 187 | 0.4 | −3.0 | ||
| Turnout | 48,759 | 83.4 | +7.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 58,444 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 25,632 | 50.5 | +0.3 | |
| Labour | David Owen | 25,165 | 49.5 | −0.3 | |
| Majority | 467 | 1.0 | +0.6 | ||
| Turnout | 5,0795 | 86.5 | +3.1 | ||
| Registered electors | 58,709 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 24,410 | 49.5 | −1.0 | |
| Labour | Jack Evans | 21,077 | 42.7 | −6.8 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Jennie Eirian Davies | 3,835 | 7.8 | N/A | |
| Majority | 3,333 | 6.8 | +5.8 | ||
| Turnout | 49,320 | 85.1 | −1.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 57,956 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 23,679 | 47.3 | +4.6 | |
| Liberal | John Morgan Davies | 20,610 | 41.2 | −8.3 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Jennie Eirian Davies | 5,741 | 11.5 | +3.7 | |
| Majority | 3,069 | 6.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 50,030 | 87.5 | +2.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 57,183 | ||||
| Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.5 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 23,399 | 47.9 | +5.2 | |
| Liberal | Alun Talfan Davies | 16,766 | 34.3 | −15.2 | |
| Conservative | JB Evans | 6,147 | 12.6 | N/A | |
| Plaid Cymru | Hywel Heulyn Roberts | 2,545 | 5.2 | −2.6 | |
| Majority | 6,633 | 13.6 | +6.8 | ||
| Turnout | 48,855 | 85.4 | +0.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 62,235 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1960s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 21,424 | 45.5 | −2.4 | |
| Liberal | Alun Talfan Davies | 15,210 | 32.3 | −2.0 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 5,495 | 11.7 | +6.5 | |
| Conservative | H.E. Protheroe-Beynon | 4,996 | 10.6 | −2.0 | |
| Majority | 6,214 | 13.3 | −0.3 | ||
| Turnout | 47,122 | 84.4 | −1.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 55,786 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 21,221 | 46.2 | +0.7 | |
| Liberal | D Hywel Davies | 11,988 | 26.1 | −6.2 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 7,416 | 16.1 | +4.4 | |
| Conservative | Simon James Day | 5,338 | 11.6 | +1.0 | |
| Majority | 9,233 | 20.1 | +6.9 | ||
| Turnout | 45,960 | 82.6 | −1.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 55,407 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 16,179 | 39.0 | +22.9 | |
| Labour | Gwilym Prys-Davies | 13,743 | 33.1 | −13.1 | |
| Liberal | D Hywel Davies | 8,650 | 20.8 | −5.3 | |
| Conservative | Simon James Day | 2,934 | 7.2 | −4.6 | |
| Majority | 2,436 | 5.9 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 41,506 | 74.9 | −7.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 55,407 | ||||
| Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing | +12.0 | |||
Elections in the 1970s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Gwynoro Jones | 18,719 | 38.0 | −8.2 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 14,812 | 30.1 | +14.0 | |
| Liberal | Huw Thomas | 10,707 | 21.7 | −4.4 | |
| Conservative | Lloyd Harvard Davies | 4,975 | 10.1 | −1.5 | |
| Majority | 3,907 | 7.9 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 49,214 | 83.5 | +1.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 64,616 | ||||
| Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Gwynoro Jones | 17,165 | 34.3 | −3.7 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 17,162 | 34.3 | +4.2 | |
| Liberal | David Roderick Owen-Jones | 9,698 | 19.4 | −2.3 | |
| Conservative | Bill Newton Dunn | 6,037 | 12.1 | +2.0 | |
| Majority | 3 | 0.01 | −7.9 | ||
| Turnout | 50,062 | 83.5 | 0.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 59,963 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 23,325 | 45.1 | +11.8 | |
| Labour | Gwynoro Jones | 19,685 | 38.1 | +3.8 | |
| Liberal | David Roderick Owen-Jones | 5,393 | 10.4 | −9.0 | |
| Conservative | Robert Hayward | 2,962 | 5.7 | −6.4 | |
| British Candidate | Edward .B Jones | 342 | 0.7 | N/A | |
| Majority | 3,640 | 7.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 51,704 | 85.6 | +2.1 | ||
| Registered electors | 60,402 | ||||
| Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Roger Thomas | 18,667 | 35.9 | −2.2 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 16,689 | 32.0 | −13.1 | |
| Conservative | Nigel M. Thomas | 12,272 | 23.6 | +17.9 | |
| Liberal | Clem Thomas | 4,186 | 8.0 | −2.4 | |
| National Front | Charlie Grice | 149 | 0.3 | N/A | |
| New Britain | EJ Clarke | 126 | 0.2 | N/A | |
| Majority | 1,978 | 3.9 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 52,086 | 84.4 | −1.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 61,714 | ||||
| Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1980s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Roger Thomas | 16,459 | 31.6 | −4.3 | |
| Conservative | Nigel M. Thomas | 15,305 | 29.4 | +5.8 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 14,099 | 27.1 | −4.9 | |
| Liberal (SDP) | Joan Colin | 5,737 | 11.0 | +3.0 | |
| Ecology | Brian Kingzett | 374 | 0.7 | N/A | |
| BNP | Charlie Grice | 154 | 0.3 | N/A | |
| Majority | 1,154 | 2.2 | −1.7 | ||
| Turnout | 52,126 | 82.1 | −1.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 63,468 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Alan Williams | 19,128 | 35.4 | +3.8 | |
| Conservative | Rod Richards | 14,811 | 27.4 | −2.0 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Hywel Teifi Edwards | 12,457 | 23.0 | −4.1 | |
| SDP (Liberal) | Gwynoro Jones | 7,203 | 13.3 | +2.3 | |
| Green | Graham Oubridge | 481 | 0.9 | +0.2 | |
| Majority | 4,317 | 8.0 | +5.8 | ||
| Turnout | 54,080 | 82.9 | +0.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 65,252 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 1990s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Alan Williams | 20,879 | 36.6 | +1.2 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Rhodri Glyn Thomas | 17,957 | 31.5 | +8.5 | |
| Conservative | Stephen Cavenagh | 12,782 | 22.4 | −5.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Juliana Hughes | 5,353 | 9.4 | −3.9 | |
| Majority | 2,922 | 5.1 | −2.9 | ||
| Turnout | 56,971 | 82.7 | −0.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 68,887 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | −3.6 | |||
Elections in the 21st century
Elections in the 2010s
| 2019 notional result [a] [32] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Conservative | 20,891 | 39.2 | |
| Plaid Cymru | 16,362 | 30.7 | |
| Labour | 13,380 | 25.1 | |
| Brexit Party | 2,023 | 3.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 686 | 1.3 | |
| Majority | 4,529 | 8.5 | |
| Turnout | 53,342 | 73.4 | |
| Electorate | 72,683 | ||
Elections in the 2020s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaid Cymru | Ann Davies | 15,520 | 34.0 | +3.3 | |
| Labour | Martha O'Neil | 10,985 | 24.1 | −1.0 | |
| Conservative | Simon Hart | 8,825 | 19.4 | −19.8 | |
| Reform | Bernard Holton | 6,944 | 15.2 | +11.4 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Nick Beckett | 1,461 | 3.2 | +1.9 | |
| Green | Will Beasley | 1,371 | 3.0 | N/A | |
| Women's Equality | Nancy Cole | 282 | 0.6 | N/A | |
| Workers Party | David Mark Evans | 216 | 0.5 | N/A | |
| Majority | 4,535 | 9.9 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 45,604 | 61.6 | −11.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 74,003 | ||||
| Plaid Cymru gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.2 | |||
Notes
- Estimate of the 2019 general election result as if the revised boundaries recommended under the 2023 boundary review were in place